Bushing-casing for casks



(No Model.)

P. J, WESTPHAL.

BUSHING CASING FOR GASKS.

No; 397,261. Patented Feb. 5, 1889.

. UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

PETER J. \VESTPHAL, OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS.

BUSHING-CASING FOR CASKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 397,261, dated February 5, 1889.

Application filed July 16, 1888. Serial No. 280,108. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, PETER J. WEsTPnAL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Holyoke, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bushing-Cases for Casks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bushing and plug cases for beer and other casks, the object being to provide for the heads (preferably) of said casks an improved tubular metallic case to be attached thereto capable of receiving the usual plug, and having therein a socket to receive and hold a suitable bushing adapted to have the end of the faucet-shank screwed into it and the invention consists of the peculiar construction and arrangement of the device, all as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is vertical section of a piece of wood representing a portion of the head of a cask, and a longitudinal section of a bushing and plug case passing through and attached to said head portion, embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of said case, and Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation. Fig. 4 is a front end elevation of said case with the bushing and bushing-nut removed. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the bushing-nu t. Fig. 6 is a perspective sectional view of the bushing.

In the drawings, 2 indicates a section of the head or other part of a cask in which a faucet may be placed to draw any fluid material from the cask. I11 casks for holding ale and like substances the heads and other parts thereof are made of considerable thickness to Withstand the internal pressure, and the bushing and plug-case below described is adapted to be very strongly attached to the cask because of the existence of said pressure. The aforesaid bushing and plug-case consist of a tubular metallic shell, 3, having a flange, a, on its front end, in which are several spannerholes, 0, and a cylindrical screw-threaded tubular shank, I), having an enlargement near the under side of said flange and a bushingsocket, o, in its outer end. From the inner end or base of said bushing-socket the walls thereof incline outwardly, as shown, to adapt said socket to receive a bushing of substantially conical form, and said socket-walls are internally screw-threaded to provide for screwing a bushing-ring in place. Said bnshing-ring is also provided with several spannerholes, 93. The shank b of said case 3 has a longitudinal perforation, 5, extending from the base of said bushing-socket quite through it to provide a passage through which the contents of a cask may flow, and said passage is adapted to be closed by a suitable plug, 6, (shown in section in Fig. 1,) to retain the contents of the cask therein until a faucet shall be attached to the case 3, as below described.

One or more pins, 7, are inserted in the base of said bushing-socket with which the inner end of the bushing engages to prevent it from turning in the socket when the ring 4 is turned against it, or when the faucet is screwed into or out of it.

A nut, 8, is screwed onto the part of the said shank h of the bushing-case 3, which projects beyond the inner side of the cask-head 2, and thereby said case is firmly secured to the cask. In screwing said nut to the shank of the case a suitable spanner is engaged with the holes 0 in the flange a, and the case is thereby held while the nut 8 is screwed up, or vice versa. Said flange is let into the outer side of the head 2, as shown in Fig. 1.

The bushing 9 used in this device has an external form which adapts it to fit the socket v in the case 3, and has a hole, 10, through it more or less tapered to receive the end of a faucet-shank which in practice is screwed into said bushing. As shown in Fig. 1, said bushing is placed in the socket 'u in the case, with its smaller end against the pins or spurs 7, and the ring 4 is then screwed against the larger end of said bushing, forcing it into the said socket and causing the ends of said spurs to engage with it, as and for the purpose above described. A suitable spanner engaging with holes 00 in ring 4: is used to screw said ring into case 3 against the bushing. Said bushing is made, preferably, of hard wood; but the substance known as vulcanized fiber, or leather or rawhide, may be used, if desired.

In using the within-described device in beer-casks the parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. 1, when the cask is full or about to be filled, the plug 6 being in place, as there shown, and the bushing being ready to receive the shank of a faucet.

The plug (5 is removed from the shank of the case 3 in any convenient way familiar to persons who handle beer-drawing devices. The faucet is screwed into the bushing 9, as above described, irrespective of the form of the thread on the shank thereof.

The within-described devices provide for fittin such bushin to the case 3 as may be best adapted to faucet-shanks of a certain form or taper, and for replacing old and Wornout bushings with new ones, and they prevent the damage to cask-heads occasioned by .reboring' and fitting various-sized faucetshanks thereto, whereby said heads require frequent and expensive repairs. In practice the said bushing-case, made of iron or brass, is placed in the cask when the latter is made, and such bushings are fitted therein as may he demanded by the user, or the latter may fit such ones thereto as he may prefer.

If desired, the nut 8 may be omitted and the screw-thread on the shank of the case 3 be relied upon to hold the case in the cask.

hat I claim as my invention is A bushing-case for casks, consisting of the tubular metallic case 3, having a bushingsocket in its outer end, one or more spurs projecting from the base of said socket, combined with a bushing of soft material. fitting said socket and engaging with said spurs, a ring screwing" into said socket against said bushing, and a nut screwing onto the shank of said case, substantially as set forth.

lElER J. WESTPI Al \Vitnesses: 1

II. A. CHAPIN, G. J. THAYER. 

